Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, Jul 19: Home minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday July 19 asserted that the week-long lockdown in Bengaluru and some other parts of the state will not be extended any further.

"A week of lockdown is already under way in the capital in order to contain the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic. However, the lockdown is going to end on Tuesday, July 21. The lockdown will not be extended after Tuesday under any circumstances," Bommai said.

Speaking to reporters in the city, he said, "We have given time till 12 noon during the lockdown for the public to buy essentials. We have also seized vehicles that were unnecessarily plying during the lockdown. The state government is trying all possible ways to control the spread of Covid-19 virus. However, under any circumstances, the lockdown will not continue in the city after July 21. Even chief minister Yediyurappa has given clarification on this matter.

"Ever since the spread of coronavirus has increased, we have been sanitizing areas within the city (Bengaluru). Already 50 vehicles are deputed for this work. Everyday 40 areas are being sanitized. Our aim is to sanitize many areas including hospitals and railway stations.

"We are taking help from civil defence, SDRF and fire service departments for sanitizing work. Trained personnel are carrying out the work. In coming days, the number of infected people in the city is going to reduced considerably," he said.

Coronavirus pandemic is playing havoc in the state of Karnataka. On Saturday, July 18, as many as 4,537 new cases of positive infection were reported, and 93 people died in a single day. Right now, there are 36,631 active cases in the state. In Bengaluru alone there are 22,498 cases. The death rate in the state is 2.08%, and in Bengaluru, it is 2.13%.